Rough Skin (Ability)

Rough Skin (Japanese: さめはだ Rough Skin) is an Ability introduced in Generation III. Prior to Generation V, it was the signature Ability of Carvanha and Sharpedo. In Generation IX, it is the signature Ability of Gible's evolutionary line.

Rough Skin	さめはだ
	Rough Skin
Flavor text Generation III Hurts to touch. Generation IV Inflicts damage to the foe on contact. Generation V Inflicts damage to the attacker on contact. Generation VI Inflicts damage to the attacker on contact. Generation VII This Pokémon inflicts damage with its rough skin to the attacker on contact. Generation VIII This Pokémon inflicts damage with its rough skin to the attacker on contact. Generation IX The Pokémon's rough skin damages attackers that make direct contact with it.

Effect

In battle

Generation III

When a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, the attacking Pokémon takes damage equal to 1/16 of its own maximum HP.

If a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a multistrike move that makes contact (such as Fury Swipes), each hit will activate this Ability.

If the contact move hitting the Pokémon with this Ability does 0 damage (for example, if the Pokémon with this Ability uses Endure at 1 HP) this Ability will not trigger.

Generation IV onward

When a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, the attacking Pokémon now takes damage equal to 1/8 of its own maximum HP.

If Rough Skin causes both the Pokémon with this Ability and the attacking Pokémon to faint, then the attacking Pokémon will faint first.

Generation V onward

When a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, the Ability will trigger even if that move deals 0 damage.

Outside of battle

Rough Skin has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Rough Skin

#	Pokémon		Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
0318		Carvanha	Water	Dark	Rough Skin	None	Speed Boost
0319		Sharpedo	Water	Dark	Rough Skin	None	Speed Boost
0443		Gible	Dragon	Ground	Sand Veil	None	Rough Skin
0444		Gabite	Dragon	Ground	Sand Veil	None	Rough Skin
0445		Garchomp	Dragon	Ground	Sand Veil	None	Rough Skin
0621		Druddigon	Dragon		Dragon	Rough Skin	Sheer Force	Mold Breaker
Please note that Abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later. For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky, and the Mystery Dungeon (WiiWare) games, when a Pokémon with this Ability is attacked by an adjacent Pokémon, the attacking Pokémon might take damage equal to half of the damage done.

Since Gates to Infinity, Rough Skin causes the attacking Pokémon to take damage equal to 1/10 of their maximum HP.

If a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a multistrike move that makes contact (such as Fury Swipes), each hit will activate this Ability.

Pokémon UNITE

In Pokémon UNITE, Rough Skin is Garchomp's Ability. When the user is hit by a melee attack, a portion of the damage received is dealt back to the attacker. This Ability can only activate no faster than every 2 seconds, and takes defense reduction into account.

Description

Games Description MDRB Inflicts damage on attackers. MDTDS Inflicts damage on an attacker who lands a direct-contact attack. BSL こうげきしてきた ポケモンに ダメージを あたえる MDGtI Damages the attacker a little when the Pokémon is hit by a direct attack.* When the Pokémon is hit with a direct attack like Tackle or Scratch, the attacker is damaged a little!* SMD When the Pokémon is hit with a contact move like Tackle or Scratch, the attacker is damaged a little! MDRTDX When the Pokémon is hit with a contact move, like Tackle or Scratch, the attacker is damaged a little.

In animation

Pokémon animated series

Sharpedo
The Pokémon scrapes its skin against the opponent. The skin is rough enough to cause abrasion.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Sharpedo scrapes its skin against the opponent, causing it to get hurt. Sharpedo can choose whether to make its skin rough or not.
A wild Sharpedo	Sharpedo Attack!		Debut

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Carvanha and Sharpedo
When the Pokémon makes contact with the opponent, it saps their energy.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	When Sharpedo makes contact with the opponent, it saps their energy.
Matt's Sharpedo	Mowing Down Ludicolo		Debut
	When Carvanha makes contact with the opponent, it saps their energy.
Amber's Carvanha	Mowing Down Ludicolo		Debut

• Archie's Sharpedo was revealed to have Rough Skin as his Ability in the PokéSPedia data-book.

Trivia

• Sharpedo's Japanese name is "サメハダー" Samehader, which is pulled directly from the same derivation as Rough Skin's Japanese name, "さめはだ" Samehada, meaning 'shark skin'.

In other languages

Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	粗糙皮膚 Chōuchou Pèihfū * 蛇皮 Sèhpèih *
	Mandarin	粗糙皮膚 / 粗糙皮肤 Cūcào Pífū * 蛇皮 Shépí *
Czech		Drsná kůže
Dutch		Ruwe huid
Finnish		Karkea iho
French		Peau Dure
German		Rauhaut
Italian		Cartavetro
Korean		까칠한 피부 Kkachilhan Pibu
Polish		Szorstka Skóra
Portuguese		Pele Áspera
Spanish	Latin America	Piel Tosca (games) Piel Dura (AG019)
	Spain	Piel Tosca
Vietnamese		Da Xù Xì

Variations of the Ability Rough Skin
Rough Skin • Iron Barbs

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.